INTERACTIVE MULTI-LEVEL FAILSAFE ENABLEMENT

• US 20170220408A1
• Filed: 02/01/2016
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Franks, Jon K., Smith, Maria E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,031,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0706 the processing taking place on a specific hardware platform or in a specific software environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/076 by exceeding a count or rate limit, e.g. word- or bit count limit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0796 Safety measures, i.e. ensuring safe condition in the event of error, e.g. for controlling element
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/366 using diagnostics G06F11/0703 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30189 according to execution mode, e.g. mode flag
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for an interactive, multi-level failsafe capability. In some embodiments, a failed count indicative of a number of failed attempts to launch an application may be received. A failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count may be determined. The failsafe mode level may be initialized in response to determining the failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count. The failsafe mode level may determine the functionality that may be enabled. Users may perform interactive debugging by editing configuration settings and manually enabling functionality.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for establishing a failsafe mode for an electronic device, comprising:

receiving a failed count indicative of a number of failed attempts to launch an application from a supervisor module;

determining a failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count; and

initializing the failsafe mode level in response to determining the failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the application has not failed in a predetermined time period; and

setting the failed count to zero in response to determining the application has not failed in the predetermined time period.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the application has failed in a predetermined time period;

incrementing the failed count in response to determining the application has failed in the predetermined time period; and

re-launching the application.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count further comprises:

determining the failed count exceeds a predetermined threshold from a plurality of predetermined thresholds; and

selecting the failsafe mode level from a plurality of failsafe mode levels based on determining the failed count exceeds the predetermined threshold.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command from a user to enable a disabled functionality in the failsafe mode level; and

enabling the disabled functionality by editing a configuration setting of the application in response to receiving the command from the user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an updated failed count;

determining a second failsafe mode level corresponds to the updated failed count, wherein the second failsafe mode level has more disabled functionality than the failsafe mode level; and

initializing the second failsafe mode level in response to determining the second failsafe mode level corresponds to the updated failed count.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command from a user to reset the failed count; and

resetting the failed count using a value received from the user.

8. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method for establishing a failsafe mode for an electronic device, comprising:

receiving a failed count indicative of a number of failed attempts to launch an application from a supervisor module;

determining a failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count; and

initializing the failsafe mode level in response to determining the failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the application has not failed in a predetermined time period; and

setting the failed count to zero in response to determining the application has not failed in the predetermined time period.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the application has failed in a predetermined time period;

incrementing the failed count in response to determining the application has failed in the predetermined time period; and

re-launching the application.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein determining the failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count further comprises:

determining the failed count exceeds a predetermined threshold from a plurality of predetermined thresholds; and

selecting the failsafe mode level from a plurality of failsafe mode levels based on determining the failed count exceeds the predetermined threshold.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a command from a user to enable a disabled functionality in the failsafe mode level; and

enabling the disabled functionality by editing a configuration setting of the application in response to receiving the command from the user.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an updated failed count;

determining a second failsafe mode level corresponds to the updated failed count, wherein the second failsafe mode level has more disabled functionality than the failsafe mode level; and

initializing the second failsafe mode level in response to a determination the second failsafe mode level corresponds to the updated failed count.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a command from a user to reset the failed count; and

resetting the failed count using a value received from the user.

15. A system for establishing a failsafe mode for an electronic device, comprising:

a processing unit in communication with one or more types of memory, the processing unit configured to;

receive a failed count indicative of a number of failed attempts to launch an application from a supervisor module;

determine a failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count; and

initialize the failsafe mode level in response to determining the failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

determine the application has not failed in a predetermined time period; and

set the failed count to zero in response to determining the application has not failed in the predetermined time period.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

determine the application has failed in a predetermined time period;

increment the failed count in response to determining the application has failed in the predetermined time period; and

re-launch the application.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein to determine the failsafe mode level corresponding to the failed count, the processing unit is further configured to:

determine the failed count exceeds a predetermined threshold from a plurality of predetermined thresholds; and

select the failsafe mode level from a plurality of failsafe mode levels based on a determination the failed count exceeds the predetermined threshold.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive a command from a user to enable a disabled functionality in the failsafe mode level; and

enable the disabled functionality by editing a configuration setting of the application in response to receiving the command from the user.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive an updated failed count;

determine a second failsafe mode level corresponds to the updated failed count, wherein the second failsafe mode level has more disabled functionality than the failsafe mode level; and

initialize the second failsafe mode level in response to a determination the second failsafe mode level corresponds to the updated failed count.